Of Moles and AlmostTemplars
by Arawr
Summary: In which Alistair tries to impress his fellow Warden with a tale of magic and wonder. And moles. Oneshot.


_Author Note:_ So here I am, actually posting a story. I don't normally complete most of my fanfics, let alone _post_ them, but my friend suggested I do so. And here we are! A couple of notes: The in-game dialogue is done from memory, so I know it's not exactly how Alistair and the Warden mention things but it'll do. Oh, and if anyone happens to notice any mistakes, please let me know so I can change them. After all, good grammar and spelling are a necessity! And...I believe that is all I really had to say. So please enjoy! And perhaps review? :D

"So tell me Alistair, why is it that you are still a Templar if you dislike it so much?" Anouk asked her fellow Grey Warden. Alistair paused, quirking an eyebrow at the Cousland. "Have you _seen_ the uniforms? I'm a sucker for good tailoring."  
"So you stayed a Templar because of the outfit?" she questioned. They had made their way out of Lothering, and their newly enlarged group had stopped off the Imperial Highway and made camp for the evening.

"Well, if you'd really like to know, I guess there's no harm in the telling. And if you're interested, I have a few moles I could show you as well..." Alistair drifted off, a smirk growing on his face.  
"Wai-What? A few...moles?" Confusion filled her warm brown eyes as she tried to decipher whether or not Alistair was joking. He then chuckled lightly, motioning with his hand that she should follow him into his tent. Apparently he was not joking.

Once inside his tent, Alistair turned around and made sure the ties to the tent flap were secure before offering his Lady a seat on his bedroll. He then smiled, just a tint of wickedness drifting into his eyes before he began to remove his armor. To Anouk's surprise, the action was quite graceful, her eyes drinking in the tanned torso presented before her.  
"Anouk?" Alistair tested her name, and it was then that she realized she had been staring.  
"Oh, uh, yes?" Blush rushed to her cheeks as she lifted her gaze from the broad expanse of his chest to his handsome face.  
"Don't get too distracted, I still have to show you that mole. Come over here." The invitation was accepted and Anouk found it hard _not_ to get distracted. _Damn him. _Alistair then lifted one of her hands, bringing it to rest just below his shoulder. He was smiling still, that glint of mischief shining through as he gently led her hand down until he abruptly stopped just above his belt. Anouk blinked, all too aware of where her hand currently was when he leaned forward, his lips whispering into her ear, "Feel that?" Anouk blushed even deeper until Alistair realized how his statement could be taken the wrong way. "Well, er, not _that_, it's not what you think, really. But, uh, this. See? This mole here." Blush bloomed across Alistair's face. Anouk blinked again, remembering all at once about the moles and crouched to get a closer look at the one he was pointing out. As she did so, she vaguely realized how close her face was to a particular area and smirked lightly to herself, bringing her hands up to rest on his hips. _If he's going to tease me, then I am going to tease right back,_ she thought triumphantly as her face inched closer. Alistair suddenly backpedaled, bringing his arms up.  
"Ahahaha-um, actually, that one isn't all that interesting. I, er, shouldn't have even bothered to show it, really. But this one here on my arm is certainly much more interesting." Quirking an eyebrow, the Cousland tried looking amused and not all together bashful despite the splash of blush across her face. _At least he's blushing too,_ she told herself before turning her full attention back to Alistair's arm, Sure enough, there was an oddly shaped mole just above his elbow.  
"Isn't that weird? It looks just like a goat! I have a goat on my arm! I bet you'll never guess how it came to be there," Alistair prodded, waiting for his fellow Warden to take the bait.  
"And just how did it come to be on your arm?" she replied, curious as to what he might say.

"Well, it all started back in my tender years of Templar training. I happened to be walking through the back alleys of Denerim with a friend of mine-what was his name again? Lyle, I believe. He was another Templar-in-training, and we had just finished our lessons for the day. So we had decided to explore different parts of the city, seeing what we could find and whatnot.

"And that was all well and good until a dreaded maleficar happened upon us and let me tell you, she was angry. Something to do with lost stockings, or something. Anyhow, poor Lyle thought that he could outsmart her by getting her to chase him all the way back to the Chantry. As you can imagine, that didn't go so well. She turned him into a goat and knocked him unconscious; while all I could do was hope she wouldn't do the same to me. Then she turned towards me and said, 'As a warning, I'll place him on your arm so you shall never forget the power of a woman who wields magic and is missing her stockings!' And _zap!_ When I looked down on my arm there was Lyle, the goat-mole. Sometimes, I can even hear him talking to me, telling me what to do in difficult situations in a strangled half-bleat. He hates it when I wear long sleeves."

Anouk simply looked incredulous.  
"What? You don't believe me? His advice is terrible, but you're welcome to listen in," Alistair suggested, bringing his elbow next to her ear while trying to half-bleat poor battle strategies. Anouk then broke into a fit of laughter before she could stop herself, and Alistair soon joined in, Lyle the goat-mole all but forgotten.  
As their laughter died down, Alistair questioned, "Do _you_ happen to have any interesting moles?"  
Smiling coyly, Anouk replied.  
"Perhaps I do."  
"Then as a certified Mole Inspector, I'll just have to inspect them to make sure they aren't...dangerous to your health or anything."  
"Well, all right. I have this one is a most inconvenient place. I won't be able to show it to you without taking off my armor..." She began to remove her breastplate when Alistair suddenly spoke.  
"Bluff called! You win! I'll, uh, just be over there until the blushing stops." He then hurriedly exited his tent, apparently unaware that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Not that Anouk minded his lack of a shirt. Smiling, she too exited his tent, the air cool upon her warm face as she headed towards the campfire.


End file.
